So, you’ve got to plan a Halloween party for the boys, right? And you have to keep a cool factor so no bows, no cutsie, and no frills. Grab glitter and paint, then decorate their drink straws, rice crispy treats, a creepy candle and some gift boxes. They’ll think you’re the coolest mom on the block.

Straw Covers1. Change size of pattern pieces if desired and print. 2. Use a pencil to trace one of each piece onto cardstock and cut out. Use a craft knife to cut out the eyes, nose and corners of mouth on skull.3. Trace and cut out one “banner” piece from black cardstock and one “skull” piece from white cardstock for each guest expected.4. Outline skulls with Black Slick Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™. Before paint dries, add one Red Tulip® Iron-On Crystal™ to each eye. Write each guest’s name on a banner piece with pencil then trace with True Red Slick. Let dry.5. When dry, use Aleene’s® Acid-Free Tacky Glue® to glue pieces together as shown. Use a hole punch to make two holes: one on top and one on bottom of skull.6. Slide onto straw or stir stick then use finger to lightly press against paper to create a little wave formation as shown in the photo.

Favor Boxes1. Fill gift boxes with your preferred goodies.2. Close the interlocking flaps on the box first, then bring the remaining flaps together and crease them upward where they meet in the center. Glue the flaps together with Aleene’s® Acid-Free Tacky Glue® and secure with binder clip or “chip” clip until dry.3. Enlarge patterns to desired size and print onto white cardstock.4. Cut one each of flame background, flame and skull. Use craft knife to cut out the eyes, nose and corners of mouth on skull.5. Use a pencil to trace one skull onto white fun foam and one flame background onto yellow fun foam for each box. Carefully cut each out. (Do not cut out facial features on skulls.)6. Use Black Slick Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ to color in facial details on the skulls. Tip: When drawing in the teeth, think “upright candy corn” shape for the top teeth and “chicklette” shapes for the bottom teeth.7. Before the Black Slick dries, add one Red Tulip® Iron-On Crystal™ to the center of each eye.8. Using cardstock pattern and a pencil, lightly trace the flames onto the flame background pieces. Center the skull pattern and trace the outline inside the flames.9. Use True Red Slick to color in the flames approximately 1/8” inside flame outline and 1/8” within the skull outline. Immediately sprinkle with Red Tulip® Fashion Glitter™. Let dry then shake off excess glitter onto a sheet of scratch paper and return to container for reuse.10. Outline flames with Black Slick and let dry.When dry, squeeze needed amount of Aleene’s® Acid-Free Tacky Glue® on back side of box top tab and on the back side of skull. Carefully center flame into glue on back side of box tab, and center skull onto front side of tab, sandwiching tab in between skull and flames. Let dry. Continue with each box until finished

Candle1. Enlarge pattern as desired with a copy machine.2. Pour Aleene’s® Acid-Free Tacky Glue® into empty container. Add water and mix until it reaches a milky consistency.3. Tear tissue paper into 3-5” squares; do not cut with scissors.4. Clean glass container with glass cleaner.5. Crumple several torn pieces of tissue then smooth back out to create a wrinkled look. Use a 1-1½ “ wide brush to dab a bit of the glue mixture onto a small area of outside of glass (about 2”). Carefully attach a piece of tissue onto glass, keeping it wrinkled as much as possible, but not folded over onto itself. Once attached onto glass, carefully use paintbrush to dab glue mixture over all of tissue, working out bubbles as needed. Repeat process, overlapping tissue slightly until all of glass is covered. Tear small pieces of tissue and carefully patch holes as needed. Let dry.6. When dry, use a razor blade or craft knife to trim excess tissue from the top and bottom edges of glass container.7. Use fine-tip felt pen to trace enlarged skull pattern onto contact paper and cut out desired number with craft knife. Make sure to cut out eyes, nose and corners of mouth from each.8. Remove backing from contact paper skull. Stick onto clean white T-shirt and remove to reduce the stickiness on back of stencil. Place where wanted on tissue-covered container. Repeat with remaining skulls.9. Pour a puddle of Black Slick Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ onto a piece of foil. Tap flat end of sponge into paint and dab onto entire tissue-papered surface of container. Use narrow ends and corners of sponge to dab Black Slick into stencil openings (eyes, nose and corners of mouth). Let dry, then carefully remove contact paper.10. Carefully line up skull pattern inside glass container behind skulls on tissue paper and tape in place. Trace details onto tissue paper with pencil, then outline skulls with Black Slick. Let dry.11. When dry, spray over all dimensional paint with Aleene’s® Spray Acrylic Sealer™, Matte Finish.12. When dry, use small liner paintbrush to apply Tulip® Fashion Glitter Bond™ onto eyes, nose and corners of mouth of one skull at a time. Sprinkle with Black glitter. When dry, shake off excess onto scratch paper and pour back into container for reuse.13. Use small brush to add swirls around skulls as desired with Glitter Bond™. Sprinkle with Red glitter. When dry, shake off excess.14. Add a candle and enjoy!

Notes– Be careful not to stack the treat bags on top each other, as they might stick together.

– While the glue is drying, brace something on either side of the fun foam decoration that is heavy enough to hold the box closed and the skull and flame upright and together.

– When working with glitter, make sure your paint or Glitter Bond™ dries completely. After shaking off excess glitter it may be helpful to use a large stiff brush to brush off the rest.

–Don’t overwork the tissue paper with the glue, as it will tear very easily.

– When working with glitter be sure your paint or Glitter Bond™ dries completely. After shaking off excess glitter it may be helpful to use a large stiff brush to brush off the rest.